Receptacle with covers

ABSTRACT

A receptacle includes a main body and first and second covers. The main body includes a bottom wall, and a surrounding wall extending upward from a periphery of the bottom wall and having a substantially flat top annular face on a top periphery thereof. The first cover covers tightly the main body, and includes a first cover portion abutting fittingly against the top annular face of the surrounding wall, and a first peripheral portion surrounding the top periphery of the surrounding wall. The second cover includes a second cover portion covering the first cover portion, a second peripheral portion surrounding the first peripheral portion, and an annular pressing shoulder formed between the second cover portion and the second peripheral portion to press the first cover against the top annular face of the surrounding wall.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 099213508, filed on Jul. 15, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a receptacle, and more particularly to a receptacle with covers.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional receptacle usually includes a rigid bowl and a flexible plastic cover to facilitate carrying of the food and prevent food spillage. It is especially suitable for containing soup or beverage which easily spills or splatters.

However, when the conventional receptacle contains soup or beverage of high temperature, because the steam pressure continuously builds up inside the receptacle, it will cause the cover to come off the receptacle, so that the contents of the receptacle will spill or splatter out of the receptacle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a receptacle that is capable of overcoming the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.

According to this invention, a receptacle comprises a main body and first and second covers. The main body includes a bottom wall, and a surrounding wall extending upward from a periphery of the bottom wall and having a substantially flat top annular face on a top periphery thereof. The first cover is made of a flexible plastic material, and covers tightly the main body. The first cover includes a first cover portion abutting fittingly against the top annular face of the surrounding wall, and a first peripheral portion extending downward from a periphery of the first cover portion and surrounding the top periphery of the surrounding wall. The second cover includes a second cover portion covering the first cover portion, a second peripheral portion extending downward from a periphery of the second cover portion and surrounding the first peripheral portion, and an annular pressing shoulder formed between the second cover portion and the second peripheral portion to press the first cover against the top annular face of the surrounding wall.

The advantage of the present invention resides in that through the first cover that covers tightly the main body, and then through the annular pressing shoulder of the second cover that presses the first cover against the top annular face of the surrounding wall of the main body, and the first cover being dimensioned to fit into the second cover, the first cover can be further confined and fixed to the main body. Hence, food spillage can be prevented during use of the receptacle of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded sectional view of a receptacle according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment in an assembled state;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating two receptacles of the present invention being stacked one above the other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The above-mentioned and other technical contents, features, and effects of this invention will be clearly presented from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment in coordination with the reference drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a receptacle 100 according to the preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a main body 1, a first cover 2, and a second cover 3.

The main body 1 has a bowl-shape, and includes a bottom wall 11, and a surrounding wall 12 extending upward from a periphery of the bottom wall 11. The surrounding wall 12 has a substantially flat top annular face 13 on a top periphery thereof, and a guide curved face 15 formed on an inner surface of the surrounding wall 12 and extending downward from the flat top annular face 13. In this embodiment, each of the bottom wall 11 and the surrounding wall 12 is hollow, and has an insulation space 14 for preventing a user from being burned or scalded while holding the receptacle 100 which contains hot food or beverage. The guide curved face 15 assists the user when drinking the soup or beverage from the receptacle 100, so that the user does not have to move his/her head upward, and the soup or beverage will not spill out easily.

The top annular face 13 of the surrounding wall 12 has a width occupying 1/19 of a largest outer diameter of the surrounding wall 12. This proportion can provide the first cover 2 with a better sealing effect.

The first cover 2 is made of a flexible plastic material, and covers tightly the main body 1. In this embodiment, the first cover 2 is made of polypropylene (PP). The first cover 2 includes a first cover portion 21, a first peripheral portion 22 extending downward from a periphery of the first cover portion 21, a deformable indentation 23 formed in a corner between the first cover portion 21 and the first peripheral portion 22, and an ear portion 24 projecting outwardly from the first peripheral portion 22.

The first cover portion 21 abuts fittingly against the top annular face 13 of the surrounding wall 12. The first peripheral portion 22 surrounds the top periphery of the surrounding wall 12. The deformable indentation 23 receives the top periphery of the surrounding wall 12. The ear portion 24 facilitates applying of a force by the user thereto to open the first cover 2.

The second cover 3 includes a second cover portion covering the first cover portion 21, a second peripheral portion 32 extending downward from a periphery of the second cover portion 31, and an annular pressing shoulder 33 formed between the second cover portion 31 and the second peripheral portion 32. The second peripheral portion 32 surrounds the first peripheral portion 22. The annular pressing shoulder 33 presses the first cover 2 against the top annular face 13 of the surrounding wall 12 of the main body 1.

It is worth mentioning that, in this embodiment, each of the second cover 3 and the main body 1 is made of metal, preferably, stainless steel.

Because the surrounding wall 12 has the largest outer diameter dimensioned to fit into an inner diameter of the first peripheral portion 22, and the first peripheral portion 22 has an outer diameter dimensioned to fit into an inner diameter of the second peripheral portion 32, the components of the receptacle 100 have good fitting relationships with each other.

After the first cover 2 covers tightly the main body 1, through the annular pressing shoulder 33 of the second cover 3 that presses the first cover 2 against the top annular face 13 of the surrounding wall 12, and through the first cover 2 being dimensioned to fit into the second cover 3, the first cover 2 can be further confined and fixed to the main body 1. Through this configuration, when the main body 1 contains hot soup or hot beverage, the first cover 2 is not likely to come off the main body 1 caused by the steam pressure inside the receptacle 100. Hence, spillage of the food from the receptacle 100 can be effectively prevented.

To remove the second cover 3 from the first cover 2, the second cover 3 is rotated relative to the first cover 2 to produce an air gap between the first and second covers 2, 3, so that the second cover 3 can be moved away from the first cover 2.

With reference to FIG. 4, a plurality of the receptacles 100 of the present invention may be stacked one above the other. In this case, the main body 1 of each receptacle 100 further includes a support ring 16 projecting from a bottom face of the bottom wall 11, and the second cover 3 further includes a limiting ring 34 projecting from a top face of the second cover portion 31 and corresponding in position to the support ring 16. The limiting ring 34 has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the support ring 16, so that when the receptacles 100 are stacked one above the other, the support ring 16 of one of the receptacles 100 is disposed within the limiting ring 34 of an adjacent receptacle 100 that is disposed below said one of the receptacles 100, thereby providing a stable structure.

From the aforesaid description, through the annular pressing shoulder 33 of the second cover 3 that presses the first cover 2 against the top annular face 13 of the surrounding wall 12 of the main body 1, and through the first cover 2 being dimensioned to fit into the second cover 3, the first cover 2 can be further confined and fixed to the main body 1, thereby preventing the steam produced by the food inside the receptacle 100 to cause the first cover 2 to come off the main body 1 and spill the food. Hence, the food can be contained and carried safely using the receptacle 100 of the present invention. Therefore, the object of the present invention can be realized.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A receptacle comprising: a main body including a bottom wall, and a surrounding wall extending upward from a periphery of said bottom wall, said surrounding wall having a substantially flat top annular face on a top periphery thereof; a first cover made of a flexible plastic material and covering tightly said main body, said first cover including a first cover portion abutting fittingly against said top annular face of said surrounding wall, and a first peripheral portion extending downward from a periphery of said first cover portion and surrounding said top periphery of said surrounding wall; and a second cover including a second cover portion covering said first cover portion, a second peripheral portion extending downward from a. periphery of said second cover portion and surrounding said first peripheral portion, and an annular pressing shoulder formed between said second cover portion and said second peripheral portion to press said first cover against said top annular face of said surrounding wall.
 2. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said surrounding wall has a largest outer diameter dimensioned to fit into an inner diameter of said first peripheral portion.
 3. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said first peripheral portion has an outer diameter dimensioned to fit into an inner diameter of said second peripheral portion.
 4. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said top annular face of said surrounding wall has a width occupying 1/19 of a largest outer diameter of said surrounding wall.
 5. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein each of said bottom wall and said surrounding wall is hollow, and has an insulation space.
 6. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said first cover further includes a deformable indentation formed in a corner between said first cover portion and said first peripheral portion to receive said top periphery of said surrounding wall.
 7. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said first cover is made of polypropylene.
 8. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said main body further includes an ear portion projecting outwardly from said first peripheral portion.
 9. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said main body further includes a support ring projecting from a bottom face of said bottom wall.
 10. The receptacle of claim 9, wherein said second cover further includes a limiting ring projecting from a top face of said second cover portion and having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of said support ring.
 11. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein said main body further includes a guide curved face formed on an inner surface of said surrounding wall and extending downward from said flat top annular face. 